Guest Blog - Mat Oxley: 2013 MotoGP season review (Part 2)

Submitted by Mat Oxley on Wed, 2013-12-11 13:28

MotoMatters.com is delighted to feature the work of iconic MotoGP writer Mat Oxley. Oxley is a former racer, TT winner and highly respected author of biographies of world champions Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi, and currently writes for Motor Sport Magazine, where he is MotoGP correspondent. We are featuring sections from Oxley's blogs, which are posted in full on the Motor Sport Magazine website.

2013 MotoGP season review (Part 2)

Unlike football, tennis and many other sports, there are always many more losers than winners in bike racing. So, out of the many defeated riders and factories in MotoGP, who were the biggest losers of 2013?

Apart from the lowly souls who finished last every weekend, or Indonesian Moto2 rider Rafid Topan Sucipto who crashed 26 times without scoring a single world championship point, those who came out of the year the worst were Ben Spies, Dani Pedrosa, Valentino Rossi and Ducati.

Spies’ career was brought to a crashing halt by a bizarre catalogue of disasters that began in 2012 and continued into 2013. The former World Superbike champ was unable to shake off the voodoo that had first latched onto him at the start of his final season with Yamaha and was finally forced into retirement by his wrecked left shoulder.

During 2011, when Spies won at Assen (above), it seemed like he had many years ahead of him, possibly as a world championship challenger. Shows how quickly things can change and how luck can play a huge part in a bike racer’s career.

Comments

Between all those soulless typewriter..he is the one qualified Journo:Mat Oxley,TT-Winner.
He´s got it nailed in my eyes....hopefully VR quits before he hurts himself, or he raises up and musters enough will power to beat every body else.The chances are 50:50.
I´m looking forward to next years season, after some lost years.
MM93 brings fresh wind into it and maybe ...just maybe ..the Doctor attemps one last roundhousekick:)

Will probably get a lot of hate mail, then again, maybe not. Rossi has been like a magician for a long time. From his first year in the top class until now. Jorge slowly over hauling him in 2010 sent Rossi into fits that led to a crash that broke his leg. He will always be one of my favorites not just because of his talent and racing ability. But because he always gave a good show. The man made it just as much fun to watch what he had to say as well as watch him race.

A new era has dawned, and Marquez is the new up and coming star as Rossi's burns out. The hate mail may not come because fans can be fickle, and I am sure many have already turned and started to forget Rossi as they look at the newest brightest star. Sad for his fans, joy for his haters, but it happens in EVERY sport. Mat Oxley I think has hit it on the head with this article.

is who will keep it from being boring. Just look at this past year. The man was getting beat up by Marquez, came back with stunning riding, and said some of the most hypocritical statements I have heard in a long time. The dude is custom made to be a villain. And he has some good years of racing left in him. He will probably end up taking Marquez out if he cannot beat him. Mark my words.

Then there is the history with Pol Espargaro and Marquez. That might cause some drama too. Might not be a snooze fest with all the new attitudes of winning and buck a friendship coming from the Axe....Moto2 guys.

Rossi will retire from riding on the motogp grid after 2014 but he will be involved in some form of racing: WSB or Rally car!? He does have his moto3 team to keep him busy aswell. Nobody will be able to duplicate Rossi's charisma. Maybe Marquez will be able to get close to Rossi's overwelling legendary status. But it time to look forward to the new breed: Marquez, Pol, Redding, and Smith to put on a great racing show in motogp. Jorge and Dani better enjoy their final few moments in the sun because they are numbered for sure.

Sun rises and sets, the first is more inspiring or exciting but the latter is really beautiful too if one can let go and put everything to rest. Is anyone genuinely surprised by VR46 now?
The surprises of sunrise with MM93 is brilliant indeed and makes for a wonderfully balanced and graceful swan song with VR46. I am thankful it isn't just that he is beaten by DP26 and JL99, this is purty in comparison.
I AM SURPRISED when there isn't more praise and admiration for the performance of JL99 on 2nd best machinery. With no manufacturer 3rd best, and Ducati and Aprillia tied for 4th best we may be underappreciating what he nearly pulled off this season. Don't relegate JL99 to a has been, he is in his mid Summer's day of glory and performing AMAZINGLY. The more we consider it, perhaps the more we will appreciate it, particularly as his performance relative to VR46 this season indicates. And yes, his character is a welcome one for me in the mix of things even when it made me cringe. WHAT A FANTASTIC SEASON!
BRAVO!!

That's a good way of looking at it. I for one remember thinking, a few years ago, how lucky we were to be seeing a golden age in motogp when rossi was winning the dogfights against Jorge and stoner. What's hard now is seeing the disappointment on VR's face at the end of each race, his belief that he could still be winning but somehow can't crack it. Personally I'd much rather see him give it one last go this year but then hopefully walk away unscathed, than go out on a stretcher as is so often the case.